Written Answers

Thursday 5 October 2000

Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Office of Fair Trading regarding flight supplements charged on holidays from Scottish airports.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) regarding flight supplements on air services from Scottish Airports. If it received evidence that flight supplements were in breach of competition legislation, the Scottish Executive would refer it to the OFT who would decide what action to take.

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8302 by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2000, in respect of which lifeline air routes a public service obligation has been imposed; whether it considers that there are any other routes in respect of which a public service obligation should be imposed, in particular whether the Inverness to London Heathrow should be so designated, and, if so, what representations it has made or intends to make, in particular directly to the European Commission, in respect of each such route.

Sarah Boyack: The lifeline air routes on which public service obligations have been imposed are as follows:

  


Glasgow-Campbeltown-Tiree 




Glasgow-Barra 




Stornoway-Benbecula-Barra 




Kirkwall-North Ronaldsay 




Kirkwall-Papa Westray 




Tingwall-Foula 




Tingwall-Papa Stour 




Tingwall-Out Skerries 




Tingwall/Sumburgh-Fair Isle 




  It is for local authorities to consider whether public service obligations (PSOs) should be imposed on any air routes and to approach the Scottish Executive with economically and socially necessary cases for new PSOs in accordance with the criteria contained within EC Regulation 2408/92. The Scottish Executive has not made, and has no plans to make, representations to the European Commission in respect of new PSOs on any air routes.

Ambulance Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on moving towards a dispatch priority response service in the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Ambulance Service is in the process of gathering evidence about how priority-based dispatch is working in England, and is on target to report to me in 2001.

Caledonian MacBrayne

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vessels Caledonian MacBrayne retired from service in each year between 1989 and 1999 on routes excluding Kyle to Kyleakin.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is as follows:

  


Year 


Number of vessels retired
(excluding Kyle/Kyleakin) 




1989 


0 




1990 


1 




1991 


1 




1992 


0 




1993 


0 




1994 


0 




1995 


2 




1996 


0 




1997 


2 




1998 


2 




1999 


0

Caledonian MacBrayne

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total capital value of the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet was in each year between 1989 and 1999.

Sarah Boyack: The values requested are as follows, at original cost prices, excluding the value of vessels under construction:

  


Year 


Value (£ million) 




1989 


42.2 




1990 


44.9 




1991 


50.2 




1992 


50.8 




1993-94 


61.9 




1994-95 


61.9 




1995-96 


74.3 




1996-97 


76.5 




1997-98 


75.7 




1998-99 


90.6 




1999-2000 


90.6 




  Note: figures are for calendar years until 1992 and then for financial years thereafter.

Caledonian MacBrayne

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new vessels Caledonian MacBrayne has put in service in each year between 1989 and 1999.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is as follows:

  


Year 


Number of vessels put into 
service 




1989 


0 




1990 


0 




1991 


2 




1992 


2 




1993 


1 




1994 


0 




1995 


1 




1996 


1 




1997 


0 




1998 


2 




1999 


0

Caledonian MacBrayne

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age of vessels operated by Caledonian MacBrayne was in each year between 1989 and 1999.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is as follows:

  


Year 


Average Age (years) 




1989 


11.9 




1990 


12.9 




1991 


12.4 




1992 


11.7 




1993 


12.3 




1994 


13.3 




1995 


13.8 




1996 


13.8 




1997 


14.8 




1998 


14.2 




1999 


14.5

Caledonian MacBrayne

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what total revenue was raised from (a) passenger fares and (b) vehicle fares by Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services in real terms for each year between 1989 and 1999 on all services excluding Kyle to Kyleakin.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested, expressed in 1999-2000 prices, is as follows:

  


Year 


Passenger fare revenue
(£ million) 


Vehicle fare revenue
(£ million) 




1989 


8.2 


16.6 




1990 


8.3 


17.4 




1991 


9.2 


18.5 




1992 


9.0 


19.1 




1993-94 


9.2 


19.9 




1994-95 


9.6 


20.9 




1995-96 


10.8 


22.7 




1996-97 


11.4 


21.6 




1997-98 


11.3 


21.6 




1998-99 


11.0 


22.0 




1999-2000 


11.1 


22.2 




  Note: figures are for calendar years until 1992 and then for financial years thereafter.

Cancer

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7086 by Susan Deacon on 26 June 2000, why, when Ninewells Hospital has 29.3% of oncology patient episodes, 8.9% of Scotland’s oncologists are working within Tayside University Hospital’s NHS Trust.

Susan Deacon: Table 2 in question S1W-7086 showed the average number of patient episodes per consultant at each of the cancer centres and not the total number of episodes. The total number of oncology patient episodes at Ninewells Hospital for the year ending 31 March 2000 was 12,095, which is 11.25% of the 107,492 total recorded patient episodes for the five cancer centres. It should be noted that these figures are provisional.

  Staffing data used in answer to question S1W-7086 was as at 30 September 1999 and does not necessarily reflect average staffing levels throughout the year. As the number and duration of visits by an individual patient varies according to the type and stage of the disease, and outreach patients are not included, the number of patient episodes does not show the total workload per consultant. The figures also give no indication to the variation between centres in the contribution made by medical staff other than consultants.

Central Heating

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 19 September 2000 of free central heating for pensioners and families, how many private pensioner homes will have central heating installed over the next five years.

Mr Frank McAveety: We estimate that 40,000 pensioners who are owner-occupiers or private renters will have central heating systems installed.

Central Heating

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will implement the installation of central heating for pensioners as part of its recently announced £350 million investment in central heating for pensioners and social tenants over a five year period.

Mr Frank McAveety: I am convening a group to determine how the central heating initiative will be implemented. It will include representatives of the power companies and relevant charities. The first meeting is scheduled for later this month.

Deaf People

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of hearing aids provided by NHS Trusts in Scotland were digital aids in each of the last three years.

Susan Deacon: A range of digital hearing aids have been available through the NHS in Scotland by means of central contracts since June 1999. Digital hearing aid provision currently represents about 0.6% of the total number of aids provided from the contract.

  NHS Trusts can also purchase hearing aids outside the central contract range. Information on the number of digital aids purchased in this way is not held centrally, but it is likely to be small. Whether an individual patient is prescribed a digital aid is a matter for decision at NHS Trust level based on clinical judgment and clinical priorities.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being considered to address the fact that 70% of tooth decay in five-year-olds is untreated.

Susan Deacon: A wide-ranging document on children’s oral health will seek views on fluoridation of public water supplies, as well as other options such as fluoride tablets and fluoridated drinks.

  The early years enhanced capitation scheme has been introduced to pay dentists enhanced monthly capitation fees for registering 0-2 year old children on the NHS, with the level of fee paid linked to the category of deprivation of the area where the child lives. Enhanced capitation fees are also paid to dentists registering 3-5 year olds in the lowest deprivation categories.

  A number of local schemes are in place in Scotland, mainly involving health visitors, which seek to encourage mothers to register their babies and toddlers on the NHS with a dentist. Health education programmes with nurseries, playgroups and schools are also under way to encourage registration and attendance. In addition, school screening by the community dental service has been extended to nurseries to identify oral disease and encourage registration.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to improve communication between primary care dental services and other primary care services and, in particular, what measures are in place to ensure that primary care dental services work effectively with education authorities and schools in relation to the dental health of pre-school and schoolchildren.

Susan Deacon: Consultants in Dental Public Health and Health Promotion Departments in health boards and Directors of Community Dental Services in Primary Care NHS Trusts liaise on strategic dental and oral health care issues with education authorities. At operational level, community dentists and dental health educators employed within the community dental service collaborate with general medical practitioners, general dental practitioners, health visitors, community dieticians and teachers on oral health promotion programmes, including dental health education, and on dental public health programmes, such as toothbrushing initiatives. The target groups for such programmes include children in schools, nurseries, playgroups, the parents of these children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances of (a) false payment claims by dental practitioners and (b) dental patients making false claims of exemption from charges the Common Service Agency’s Fraud Investigation Unit found in the last five years.

Susan Deacon: The Common Services Agency’s Fraud Investigation Unit began operations in July of this year.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals are being developed with health boards for consultation on the fluoridation of the water supply.

Susan Deacon: As I said in Parliament on 21 September, a wide-ranging document on children’s oral health will be issued in the New Year. It will describe what the Executive is currently doing and seek views on what further measures might be taken. It will also seek views on fluoridation of public water supplies as well as other options such as fluoride tablets and fluoridated drinks.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering introducing payments to dentists for the provision of advice and education to their patients in relation to prevention of dental disease and improved oral health.

Susan Deacon: Dentists are paid to provide oral health advice under the capitation fees they receive monthly for each child registered with them on the NHS. The Scottish Executive is particularly keen to ensure that dentists take adequate time to provide advice on nutrition and oral health to child patients and their parents living in deprived areas. Consequently, there are enhanced monthly capitation fees for dentists registering all 0-2 year olds, with a sliding scale to recognise the greater challenge faced by dentists in more deprived areas, and registering 3-5 year olds in the most deprived areas and advising these children on behaviours which will promote oral health throughout life. The Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland which was published on 18 August includes a proposal to introduce an enhanced capitation payment scheme for 6-8 year olds in the most deprived areas including the fissure sealing of the first molars of these children and the provision of oral health advice and instruction.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any guidelines to local authorities to ensure that oral and dental health is given priority in health education and health-related policies in schools.

Mr Sam Galbraith: A wealth of materials is available to support teachers in the delivery of health education. In particular the Health Education for Living Project (HELP), distributed to schools in 1995 and updated in 1998, is a curriculum framework for health education designed for use with all stages, from pre-school to S6. Oral and dental health issues are addressed at appropriate stages throughout HELP.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are proposed to ensure that patients are better informed and more actively involved in decisions about their dental care.

Susan Deacon: All NHS patients should be given information and support to ensure they are fully involved in decisions about their own care. The Executive has been taking forward a number of initiatives to foster a better understanding of this requirement within the NHS. While these have not been aimed specifically at dental care, the principles are equally applicable.

  Under current Regulations, a dentist is already required to provide a patient registered with him or her on the NHS with a plan outlining such details as the NHS care and treatment considered necessary and an estimate of the associated patient charge. Dentists must also display information about NHS dental charges approved by the Primary Care NHS Trust or island health board and make available patient information leaflets listing the dentists working in the practice(s) and other helpful information such as opening hours and access for those patients in wheelchairs. In addition, dentists must inform their NHS patients about the practice-based complaints procedure which he or she operates.

  The Executive also provides a free telephone information service, the NHS Helpline, which is able to provide callers with information on the availability of NHS dentists and dental treatments.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to register the 25% of children who currently have no ongoing dental care with a dentist.

Susan Deacon: Research indicates that the major proportion of children who are not registered with a dentist live in the most deprived areas and that dental attendance is poor among pre-school children. The Executive is committed to improving the dental health of these children.

  On a national basis, and in addition to continuing dental health promotion initiatives, the early years enhanced capitation scheme has been introduced to pay dentists enhanced monthly capitation fees for registering 0-2 year old children on the NHS, with the level of fee paid linked to the category of deprivation of the area where the child lives. Enhanced capitation fees are also paid to dentists registering 3-5 year olds in the lowest deprivation categories. The Executive also plans to introduce enhanced capitation payments for registering and fissure sealing the first molars of 6-8 year olds in the most deprived areas.

  A number of local schemes are in place in Scotland, mainly involving health visitors, which seek to encourage mothers to register their babies and toddlers on the NHS with a dentist. Health education programmes with nurseries, playgroups and schools are also underway to encourage registration and attendance. In addition, school screening by the community dental service has been extended to nurseries to identify oral disease and encourage registration.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ensure that fissure sealant work, as recommended in the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidance Network guideline, is sufficiently targeted at those with the greatest need.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has published within its Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland proposals to fund enhanced capitation payments (including fissure sealants) for children in deprivation categories 5, 6 and 7.

  In the majority of health boards such targeting will limit these treatments to between 30-50% of the child population.

  However, in rural and remote health boards such as Highland and Western Isles deprivation indices are not an accurate tool for targeting resources and the Scottish Executive will discuss with health boards and the British Dental Association how to appropriately target such services based on clinical criteria and/or social background.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish drop-in centres for dental care and in which areas any such centres will be situated.

Susan Deacon: Provision of general dental services is kept under review by health boards and Primary Care NHS Trusts. It is open to them to plan the establishment of drop-in centres for dental care in response to local needs.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when clinical guidelines on sedation, pre-school dental treatment and orthodontics will be made available to dental practitioners.

Susan Deacon: The two dental clinical guidelines were distributed by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network in March. Further guidelines will follow. Discussions are ongoing with professional organisations on how to take forward the next set of guidelines on sedation, pre-school dental treatment and orthodontics as highlighted in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland, published in August 2000 by the Scottish Executive.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to encourage the majority of dental nurses who currently do not have any relevant qualifications to gain qualifications.

Susan Deacon: It is currently estimated that less than 50% of the 3,500 dental nurses working in Scotland have formal qualifications. The Scottish Executive is consulting with health boards, Primary Care Trusts and educational organisations on how to facilitate courses for dental nurses throughout Scotland which lead to formal qualifications.

  A review group to plan the education and training for professions complimentary to dentist’s including dental nurses was established in 1999 to consider workforce planning and education issues for this group of the dental workforce.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are proposed to increase the number of dental therapists, nurses, hygienists and technicians.

Susan Deacon: In 1999 the Scottish Executive set up a working group to review workforce requirements for dentistry. Initial findings will shortly be published in the discussion document Workforce Planning for Dentistry in Scotland – A Strategic Review . This report will identify the number of dental hygienists, dental nurses, dental therapists and dental technicians recommended to be trained in Scotland.

  Following the publication of this report, discussion will occur with educational bodies, health boards and Trusts on how to develop appropriate training courses and pathways for all the professions complementary to dentistry in Scotland.

  A review group was also established in 1999 to consider workforce planning and education issues for the professions complimentary to dentistry, including dental nurses.

Education

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the First Minister what progress is being made towards meeting its commitment to reduce primary one, two and three class sizes to 30 or less by August 2001.

Donald Dewar: Substantial resources have been made available through the Excellence Fund and good progress is being made. At the last school census in 1999, 89.3% of single stage P1 to P3 classes had 30 or less pupils.

Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that pensioner poverty will be eradicated.

Jackie Baillie: In our Social Justice strategy, we have set long-term targets of ensuring older people are financially secure and that increased numbers enjoy independent and healthy lives. We have just announced a £300 million package including a warm deal for all pensioners, a national concessionary travel scheme and a package of care support to deliver early progress towards these targets. In addition we are working closely with the UK Government which has responsibility for tax and benefits policies to improve the incomes of pensioners.

Electricity Act 1989

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when new regulations governing the environmental impact of developments under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 will come into force.

Nicol Stephen: The Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations have been laid before the Parliament and came into force today. Any application for consent under section 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 received by the Scottish Executive on, or after, today’s date will be subject to these new Regulations. Further information, along with copies of the new Regulations and accompanying guidance, can be obtained from the Scottish Executive Energy Division. The Regulations have also been placed on the Scottish Executive website.

Environment

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure high standards in the sewerage system.

Sarah Boyack: The three Scottish water authorities are investing £1.8 billion in Scotland’s water and sewerage networks over this and the next two years, to secure a better service for customers. We are also carrying out a quality and standards exercise which will identify the further measures needed to meet European and national legislative requirements.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when an overall Scottish target for the reduction of emissions causing climate change will be announced and how and when separate targets for industry, commerce, transport and other sectors will be set.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive is considering the responses to the Scottish Climate Change Consultation, which ended on 2 June. I plan to publish the final Scottish Climate Change Programme in the near future. This will detail the action we will take in Scotland across all sectors to combat the threat of climate change.

Finance

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the end-year balance in each sub-heading of the Crown Office budget was in 1999-2000.

Colin Boyd QC: In 1999-2000 the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service underspent on its allocated budget by £1.3 million. This was added to existing "End-Year Flexibility" entitlement from previous years, and the department carried over voted provision of £4.6 million into 2000-01. This is being used principally to fund a major investment in modern technology and changes in working practices, which will improve service delivery over the next two years.

Flood Prevention

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available to the City of Edinburgh Council for flood prevention schemes.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive makes funding available to local authorities, under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961. Subject to flood prevention schemes meeting specific cost benefit criteria, grant for confirmed schemes is available at a rate of 50%.

  The City of Edinburgh Council has not submitted any proposed flood prevention schemes to the Executive for consideration and, therefore, the question of funding for such schemes has not yet arisen.

Fuel Poverty

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that fuel poverty is eradicated in the private rented sector.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The central heating initiative for pensioners announced on 18 September will take 90% of beneficiaries out of fuel poverty, including those in the private rented sector. The Warm Deal will continue to provide home insulation for other low-income households in that sector.

Genetically Modified Crops

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-1879 by Ross Finnie on 8 June 2000, what further action has been taken in relation to the possibility that crops contaminated with GM seed have entered the human and animal food chains.

Ross Finnie: As I made clear in my earlier answer, the crop sown in 1999 had already been harvested and had possibly entered the food chain prior to the discovery that the seed had been contaminated. As I also made clear in that answer, we have advice from the Food Standards Agency Scotland, the Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs and the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment that there is no added risk to food safety, animal feedingstuff or the environment from the contaminated crop.

  The crop sown in 2000 has been destroyed and has not entered the food chains.

Genetically Modified Crops

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it undertook with the local authority and the local National Farmers Union regarding the decision to conduct a genetically modified crop trial at Daviot.

Ross Finnie: The identification of individual sites to participate in these trials is the responsibility of a body representing the interests of the industry, and including the National Farmers Union within its membership. However, the proposed sites must meet the criteria set out by the impartial Scientific Steering Committee which oversees the UK farm scale evaluation programme.

  Neither the governing European Directive 90/220/EEC nor the Environmental Protection Act 1990 require formal public consultation on any aspect of a proposed release. However, the decision by the Scottish Executive to grant consent for the Daviot sites was taken after consultation with, and on the basis of advice from, the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment, the Food Standards Agency, the Health and Safety Executive, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency that there was no unacceptable risks to public health and environmental safety.

Genetically Modified Crops

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the monitoring of sites mistakenly planted with GM-contaminated oilseed rape.

Ross Finnie: All Scottish sites planted with GM contaminated oilseed rape have been inspected to confirm effective destruction of the crop. In all but six crops the measures taken have been completely effective. For those crops where the destruction was not fully achieved, additional measures have been taken and the result of this action will be subject to further monitoring.

Genetically Modified Crops

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what risks GM farm scale trials pose to organic farming.

Ross Finnie: We recognise that an element of cross-pollination could occur between related organic and GM crops, but this is no more likely than cross-pollination between related organic and conventional crops. The organic sector cannot operate in isolation from other agricultural practices or the wider environment.

  The environmental implications of the GM farm scale evaluation programme are fully considered by our expert advisory bodies before consent is granted. These bodies are satisfied that there are no safety or scientific reasons why this programme should have an adverse effect on organic farming. Additionally, the separation distance which is imposed around trial sites should ensure that any cross pollination with organic crops which does take place will be negligible and should not affect the organic status of these crops.

Genetically Modified Crops

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what risks GM farm scale trials pose to organic honey production.

Ross Finnie: The organic honey sector cannot operate in isolation from other agricultural practices or the wider environment, particularly since bees forage widely. However, the environmental implications of all GM deliberate release applications, including the impact of foraging insects and bees, are fully considered by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) before consent is granted. ACRE and the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes are satisfied that there are no safety concerns arising from the possible inclusion of minute amounts of GM pollen in honey.

Health

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any data relating to the number of people suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Susan Deacon: The information requested was covered in my response to Scottish parliamentary question S1W-8222. The data provided remains the most up to date available.

Homelessness

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline any emergency initiatives available to local authorities in the event of a rapid increase in homelessness.

Jackie Baillie: Local authorities have a wide range of duties and responsibilities for housing homeless people. The delivery of these duties is supported by detailed guidelines set out in the Code of Guidance on Homelessness (available in SPICE). The Code includes guidance on action which may be taken in the event of an emergency. The Executive has increased the total resources available under the RSI to £40 million and provided £5.3 million through the B&B initiative. Together these assist local authorities in providing a range of projects to prevent and alleviate rough sleeping and homelessness.

Hospitals

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new Wishaw Hospital in Lanarkshire is expected to be completed and whether the project is proceeding on schedule.

Susan Deacon: Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which has commissioned the new Wishaw General Hospital, advises me that construction work is progressing on schedule. The Trust expects the hospital to be completed in May 2001 as planned.

Housing

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the employment implications of the housing stock transfer proposal in Glasgow and other parts of Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The employment implications of housing stock transfer will be a matter for individual councils. The Executive has made clear that proposals must take account of the obligations under the TUPE regulations and any agreed enhancements. The feasibility study into the transfer of Glasgow’s council housing into community ownership estimated a potential net additional employment effect of up to 3,100 jobs.

Leylandii Hedges

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8076 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 August 2000, when it will announce what action it intends to take on high hedges in the light of the response to its consultation paper of January 2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: Evaluation of responses to the consultation paper issued on 12 January 2000 is almost complete and I will make an announcement later this year.

Leylandii Hedges

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to complete the evaluation of the responses to the consultation document on high hedges, such as leylandii.

Mr Jim Wallace: Evaluation of responses to the consultation paper issued on 12 January 2000 is almost complete and I will make an announcement later this year.

NHS Funding

Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to monitor the application of the £60 million funds released to health boards in respect of the division between the priorities defined by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 2 May 2000.

Susan Deacon: I announced on 30 June that an additional £60 million had been issued to the NHS in Scotland following a careful evaluation of plans submitted by health boards. These set out how the additional resources would be used to address priority areas and to bring real benefits to patients. I also made it clear that the progress of boards and Trusts in implementing their plans would be monitored closely for the rest of the year. I have therefore arranged to receive regular progress reports from an expert team drawn from the Health Department and the NHS in Scotland.

National Air Quality Strategy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities are undertaking Stage 3 reviews of air quality under the National Air Quality Strategy, how many of these authorities met the June 2000 deadline for their reports and how many Air Quality Management Areas the Executive expects to be declared in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: Seven Scottish local authorities are currently undertaking Stage 3 reviews and assessment of air quality as required by the Air Quality Strategy. Two local authorities (Edinburgh and Falkirk) met the June 2000 deadline for submitting their Stage 3 reports. It is anticipated that between five to seven Scottish local authorities will declare Air Quality Management Areas.

National Parks

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is being made to ensure that ranger services are provided in the National Parks.

Sarah Boyack: The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 allows National Park authorities to appoint staff. This is likely to include rangers.

  The proposals for a National Park in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and in the Cairngorms, published recently for consultation, seek views on rangers, and whether any additional powers are needed in the designation orders to enable the provision of effective ranger services.

Planning

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it uses to call in contentious planning applications and planning applications by local authorities for public inquiry or scrutiny.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive’s intention, as set out in National Planning Policy Guideline 1 (NPPG 1): The Planning System, is that only applications which raise issues of national significance require to be determined by the Scottish Ministers.

  A revision of NPPG 1, which was issued for consultation in July, indicates that intervention by the Scottish Ministers would generally be appropriate only where a proposed development raises an issue of national importance; or where proposals are a significant departure from the approved development plan for an area and/or national planning guidance; or where it is considered that a planning authority has failed to give full consideration to local objection; but a substantial volume of objections is not in itself sufficient grounds to call in a planning application.

Planning

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how planning authorities are independently audited and whether there are any proposals to alter and improve the auditing procedure in order to maintain and improve public confidence in the planning system.

Sarah Boyack: The Accounts Commission for Scotland audits the accounts of local authorities under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. It also publishes, annually, a range of indicators of councils’ performance including four relating to the planning service. There are no plans to change the commission’s remit. The commission’s report for 1998-99 is available from SPICe.

  In 1997, a Planning Audit Unit (PAU) was established. Its main purpose was to help councils improve their development control service. We are drawing on this experience to revise Planning Advice Note 40: Development Control.

  PAU has recently also been considering councils’ performance in development planning, and pilot audits of three councils have been carried out. I will make an announcement shortly on what further steps I intend taking in this area.

Planning

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what account is taken of other laws governing the use of the property concerned when planning decisions are made.

Sarah Boyack: Determinations under planning legislation must be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Matters considered in respect of consents and approvals under other legislation as well as the general law may be relevant depending on the particular circumstances of the case.

Police

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £8.9 million additional money allocated this year to the police to halt the decline in police numbers will be matched next year in order that police numbers can be sustained.

Mr Jim Wallace: Yes. The additional funding made available earlier this year will continue. Taken with the recently announced 6% increase in police GAE and recruitment funded by the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency, the police will have sufficient resources to boost officer numbers above their previous record level of 15,050.

Prison Service

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the average amount of additional time spent in prison by prisoners who lost remission during 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The following table shows the average amount of additional time spent in prison through "loss of remission" and "additional days" in 1999.

  





Number of awards 


Total amount (days) awarded 


Average (days) 




Loss of remission 


57 


168 


3 




Additional days 


4,727 


25,541 


5

Prison Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the value for money offered by private prisons.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  SPS has assessed the privately-managed HMP Kilmarnock as offering excellent value for money.

Public Bodies

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish public bodies spent on consultancy services in each of the last five years and how much they expect to spend in the current year and the following two years.

Mr Jack McConnell: There are a variety of categories of public bodies including Executive, Advisory and Tribunal Non-Departmental Public Bodies, NHS Bodies, state-owned companies and public corporations. They operate at various levels of delegated responsibility, including the way in which they use consultancy services. Information on the use of these services is not held centrally.

Public Transport

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the national public transport timetable is still on schedule to be adopted by December.

Sarah Boyack: The national public transport timetable is being developed in Scotland through a public and private partnership arrangement between local authorities and transport operators. The Scottish Executive is committed to contributing up to £1 million towards the capital and setting up costs of the new system. All parties are working together in partnership towards implementation of the new system by the 31 December deadline.

Road Safety

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims for compensation for damage to vehicles and injuries to passengers and pedestrians caused by dangerous and/or poorly maintained trunk roads and motorways there have been in each of the last four years and what was the total value of such claims.

Sarah Boyack: The number and value of claims for compensation for damages to vehicles and injuries to passengers and pedestrians on trunk roads and motorways in each of the last four years is as follows:

  


Financial Year 


No. of Claims 


No. of Compensation Payments 
made 


Total Value 




1996-97 


256 


68 


£40,622.31 




1997-98 


239 


58 


£29,352.28 




1998-99 


185 


39 


£16,014.77 




1999-2000 


211 


34 


£12,776.22 




  The 3,200 kilometre trunk and motorway road network is inspected regularly and is well maintained.

Roads

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the Minister for Transport and the Environment’s discussions with Glasgow City Council and South Lanarkshire Council regarding the proposed M74 northern extension, any alternatives which may have less adverse environmental and social impact are being considered.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Harper to my statement on transport expenditure of 28 September.

Roads

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current situation is regarding the M74 northern extension following the recently published report by the local authorities concerned.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the reference to the M74 in my statement on transport spending made to Parliament on 28 September.

Rural Affairs

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what systems have been put in place to improve communication between the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department.

Ross Finnie: Communication between the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food generally operates satisfactorily and in accordance with the appropriate Concordats. Where any problems have arisen, these have been resolved in the course of day-to-day contact between officials or at meetings between Ministers and between senior officials which, since devolution, take place at regular intervals.

Rural Affairs

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to give all farmers and crofters access to free, comprehensive conservation advice.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department contributes substantially to the cost of conservation advice for farmers applying to join agri-environment schemes. It also provides grant-in-aid to the Scottish Agricultural College to provide public good advice on conservation and biodiversity, and to operate a telephone advice service for farmers wishing to convert to organic production methods.

  In addition, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) provides funding for provision of conservation advice to farmers by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Scotland. The Department and SNH are currently considering whether changes are required in the delivery mechanisms for conservation advice in the light of a review on which consultation was carried out in 1999.

Smoking

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will put in place to discourage young women from taking up smoking.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is taking forward a range of measures to reduce levels of smoking among young people, especially young women. These include health education and promotion activities such as mass media advertising and Smokeline; targeted smoking cessation services and a new enforcement package to target underage sales of tobacco. Importantly, an element of the additional funding being made available under the £26 million health improvement fund announced on 20 August will be used for a major education drive to cut young people’s smoking.

Smoking

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9480 by Mr Jack McConnell on 20 September 2000, why it is providing facilities to its staff who smoke at work in the form of designated areas for smoking when its policy is to discourage smoking due to its detrimental effects on health.

Mr Jack McConnell: As my earlier reply made clear, the main thrust of the Scottish Executive’s policy is to discourage smoking due to its detrimental effects on health. Non-smoking is the norm. Some staff may, however, wish to smoke so the policy offers a common sense approach by making limited provision for smokers as a concession. Information and support are available to staff who wish to stop smoking. The policy is consistent with Health and Safety Executive guidelines.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to release any funding for new Social Inclusion Partnerships.

Jackie Baillie: We have no plans to create any new Social Inclusion Partnerships at this stage.

  The last of the former Regeneration Programme areas has only now made the transition to Social Inclusion Partnership status. The new Glasgow Smaller Areas SIP, which replaces the Glasgow Regeneration Programme, took effect from 1 October 2000 and runs until 31 March 2004.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the evaluation of Social Inclusion Partnerships.

Jackie Baillie: The Monitoring Framework for Social Inclusion Partnerships sets out the requirement for Partnerships to undergo an evaluation towards the end of their lifespan and in some cases at the mid-point of their designation.

  The immediate need for evaluations are those Partnerships formerly designated as Regeneration Programmes that end in November 2001; and those Partnerships formerly designated as Priority Partnership Areas, with a mid-point of November 2001. We intend to write shortly to those Partnerships to ask them to commission individual evaluations to ascertain what has worked within the area and what has not. For the former Priority Partnership Areas undergoing interim evaluations there will also be a need to consider the focus for the remaining period for the Partnership.

  In addition, the Executive will commission a national evaluation of the former Regeneration Programmes to establish the difference which special status has meant for the areas concerned. It is expected that the national and individual evaluations will all be completed by summer 2001 and announcements on the future of the former Regeneration Programmes should follow in the autumn.

  To support the individual evaluations, the Executive will provide additional funding allocations of £15,000 each. To facilitate the evaluation timetable, and to avoid the uncertainty inherent in changes to status and funding part-way through a financial year, the Executive intends to extend the designation of the former Regeneration Programmes to the end of March 2002. There will be a corresponding increase in the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund allocations to these Partnerships.

  The Partnership areas affected by this are as follows:

  Former Regeneration Programmes

  Cambuslang; Dundee 2; Edinburgh; Falkirk; Fife; Levern Valley (East Renfrewshire); North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Stirling;

  Former Priority Partnership Areas

  Craigmillar; Dundee 1; East End; Glasgow North; Greater Easterhouse; Great Northern (Aberdeen); Inverclyde; Motherwell North; North Ayr; North Edinburgh; Paisley; West Dunbartonshire.

Tourism

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set to measure the effectiveness of the Ossian project.

Henry McLeish: Industry targets are set in A New Strategy for Scottish Tourism , which we published on 14 February.

Tourism

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the monetary value of monthly bookings through the Ossian system has been since it was established.

Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Tourist Board. I will ask the Chairman to write to you outlining the details.

Transport

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve transport links to the Northern Isles.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive seeks to ensure that there are affordable air and sea links to Scotland’s island communities including the Northern Isles. I am also announcing today that the preferred bidder for the Northern Isles Passenger Ferry subsidy contract from 2002 is NorthLink Orkney & Shetland Ferries, a joint venture of Caledonian MacBrayne and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans and resources it has put in place to allow (a) local authorities, (b) health boards, (c) police forces, (d) fire brigades, (e) the Scottish Ambulance Service and (f) other government agencies to convert their vehicles to use liquid petroleum gas, in particular those organisations which are ineligible to receive Powershift Scheme funding.

Sarah Boyack: Spending decisions are for the agencies concerned.

Water Charges

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have (a) sought special payment schemes and (b) have made late payments due to being unable to pay their water bills on time for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Sarah Boyack: Local authorities are responsible for the collection of water charges on behalf of the water authorities. A variety of payment methods are offered by local authorities to enable customers to pay their accounts.

  Information regarding those numbers of households whom are unable to pay the water charges is not available.

Water Supply

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6666 by Sarah Boyack on 23 May 2000, when the survey being carried out by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health on the prevalence of lead solder in new homes will be completed; when it will announce its response to this survey, and whether it has any plans at this stage to require the water authorities to carry out water sampling in all new properties prior to their occupation.

Sarah Boyack: The results of the survey will be available by November 2000. The Executive will respond to the conclusions as a matter of urgency and is currently is exploring the options for reducing the risk to health from the illegal use of lead solder in new properties.

Water Supply

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S1W-6666 by Sarah Boyack on 26 May 2000, how many pre-habitation water samples did each water authority carry out in the most recent year for which figures are available and what was the total number of domestic home completions in each water authority area in the same period.

Sarah Boyack: It has not been normal practice for the water authorities to take water samples when carrying out byelaw inspections of new domestic properties. Historically, only a visual inspection has been carried out on a sample of new domestic properties. More detailed byelaw inspections have been reserved for those commercial premises identified as posing a greater risk to health should contamination of the public water supply occur during a back syphonage incident.

  All three water authorities are committed to take any necessary action on enforcement in the light of the findings of the study being carried out by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health. In the meantime the authorities are responding to requests from members of the public who wish to have their water supply tested for the presence of lead.